Target apparatus



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' TARGET APPARATUS Filed Dec. 26, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS THOMAS C ARLES MILLS BY FRANK MIYAGAWA Jmmw ZU.

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C S A M 0 United States Patent 3,185,830 TARGET APPARATUS Thomas C. Mills, Wheaton, and Frank K. Miyagawa,

Chicago, 111., assignors to Manning Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 246,927 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-4541) This invention relates to improvements in target apparatus and is particularly concerned with the construction and assembly of a novel gun device and target device of a character embodying means wherein a moving target element may be impinged by a light beam emitted from the gun device and in a manner to excite audio and visual signal means.

More particularly, the gun device includes trigger actuated means selectively operable to cause a light beam to be momentarily projected from its barrel, which beam is directed at a constantly moving target element in the target device that includes a photoelectric cell having electrical connection with an electric current source and with suitable audio and visual signals. The gun device is wholly detached from the target device and is adapted to be held and aimed at the target element by the user. The gun device includes a current source, such as dry cell batteries, and a lamp, the circuit to which is triggered when the gun is operated. When the instantaneous light beam from the lamp strikes the photoelectric cell the visual and audible signal means is activated to confirm a hit. The target element is movable through a circular Path preferably at irregular rates of speed so as to increase the element of suspense in seeking to strike the target with the projected light beam.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novelly constructed and assembled target apparatus.

Another object is to provide a novelly constructed target device.

Another object is to provide a novelly constructed device for projecting a light beam onto a target element.

Another object is to provide novel switch means for triggering a light beam.

Another object is to provide a novel target device with a novelly constructed and assembled target element.

Another object is to provide a target apparatus of a character having a movable target element and including a photoelectric cell and signal means responsive to activation of said photoelectric cell.

Another object is to provide a device of the character referred to which is not expensive to construct and to operate, is easily operated and is very satisfactory in its use.

With the foregoing and such other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to identify corresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the target device, showing it on a reduced scale.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the target device, taken substantially on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the target device, omitting the housing.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the target element and its mounting.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the signal means and actuating mechanism, taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the gun device, on a reduced scale.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the gun device, showing the cover plate removed and the bolt mechanism uncocked.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing the bolt mechanism cocked.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged detail view of the toggle switch mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a detail perspective view of the toggle switch plate and its spring.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged elevational view of the barrel end of the gun device, showing parts broken away.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of the wiring of the target device.

Referring to the exemplary disclosure of the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 6 and FIG. 13, depicting the target device, said device includes a housing 11 fabricated from suitable sheet material such as paperboard or plastic and comprised of a base portion 12 and a target area 13 superposed on the base portion. The base portion has substantially the shape of a pyramid, and it includes a front wall 14, side walls 15 and a back wall 16. The bottom is open. The target area 13 includes a rim 17 including a rearwardly extending wall 18. The rim 17 surrounds a recessed vertical back wall 19. The rearwardly extending wall 18 has, as best shown in FIG. 2, a transverse slit 20 therein for a purpose to be explained presently.

The housing 11 encloses a frame structure upon which is mounted the several components of the target device and signal means. This frame structure comprises an inverted substantially U-shaped frame 21 of heavy wire stock including a base 22 and inwardly, upwardly inclined side portions 23 joined in a loop 24 at their upper ends. The base 22 extends rearwardly from the plane of the side portions and then upwardly and mounts a casing 25 in which a plurality of dry cells 26 are mounted. When the frame 21 is arranged within the housing 11, the battery casing 25 projects through an opening 27 in the housing back wall as best shown in FIG. 2. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a strap 28 extends forwardly of said frame 21 and mounts a combination circuit control element 29 that projects through an opening in the front wall of the housing for ready manipulation.

The frame 21 also includes a pair of horizontal straps 31 and a centrally arranged vertically extending strap 32, which may be a continuation of strap 28. The upper end of strap 32 carries an extension 33 to provide a mounting for an electric lamp 34 that is thereby disposed rearwardly of a bulls eye window 35 in the target area 13.

The frame 21, and particularly the strap 32 thereof,

mounts near its lower end, a mounting plate 36 of electrical insulating material upon which is arranged (see FIGS. 6 and 13) an audible signal 37 including a solenoid plunger 38, a relay switch 39, a condenser 41 and a transistor 42. The strap 32 also mounts upwardly of said plate 36 (FIGS. 2 and 4) an electric motor 43 having its shaft extending through to the front side of said strap and mounting a flywheel 44 preferably made of lightweight material such as heavy paperboard. It should be evident that during operation of motor 43,'the flywheel is rotated, but because of the presence of a weight 45 eccentrically mounted thereon, said flywheel will rotate at variable speeds.

A pitman 46 is connected at its lower end to said flywheel, as at 47, and it is loosely journalled for sliding and pivotal movement in a bearing 48 (FIG. carried on the forwardly offset upper end of strap 32. The rod extends upwardly through wall slot 20 and its upper terminal end carries a target element 49 that includes a photoelectric cell 51 disposed to face outwardly from the target area back wall 19. It should be evident that during flywheel rotation, the target element 49 is moved through a circular path over the face of wall 19 and, owing to the variation in the speed of rotation of said flywheel, the target element will move at variable rates of speed during each cycle of rotation.

Referring now to the electric circuit of the device, insofar as it has been described, and best shown in FIG. 13, the target device is placed in operation upon closing of switch part 52 of control element 29 to start motor 43 for rotating flywheel 44 and moving the target element through its circular path. The remaining circuitry and components therein are inactive until activated by the projection of a beam of light onto photoelectric cell 51. Such a beam is obtained by use of a complemental unit such as the gun device 53 best shown in FIG. 7. This device is made to simulate a rifle but it should be under stood that any suitable configuration can be employed.

In the FIG. 7 disclosure, the gun device 53 is preferably molded from plastic material to provide a gun casing including a stock 54, a bolt mechanism housing portion 55 and a barrel 56. The barrel 56 is hollow and, as shown in FIG. 12, it mounts a lamp 57 arranged, when illuminated, to project its light beam through a collection lens 58 in said barrel and out of the open front end of said barrel. When the gun device is aimed at the target element 49, and the lamp 57 is momentarily lighted in a manner and by means to be presently described, the light beam, if properly aimed, will impinge the photoelectric cell 51 and actuate the circuitry thereof in such manner as to light the signal lamp 34 and actuate the audible signal 37.

The gun device 53 includes a bolt mechanism comprised of a reciprocable bolt 59 having a finger engaging portion 60 that projects laterally through a slot 61 in the casing portion 55. This bolt preferably is thickened at its forward end, as at 62, and has a hook-like portion 63 at its other or rear end, the latter being adapted to be engaged with a trigger hook 64 when cocked. A spring 65 normally urges the bolt into its forward or uncocked position.

Also mounted in casing portion 55 is a toggle switch assembly 66 and an actuator 67. As best shown in FIG. 8, the actuator comprises a striker disc 69 having a peripherally located radial shoulder 71 normally disposed in the path of bolt 59. It is held normally in such position by a coil spring 72 having one end anchored therein and its other end engaged selectively in one of a series of recesses 73 formed in the housing wall. These recesses afford adjustment of the spring tension. The disc 69 has an integral shaft 74 which is formed with a flat surface 75 (FIG. that normally rests against the actuating arm 76 of switch 66.

Upon referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the switch comprises a base 77 mounting a contact terminal 78. A

switch blade 79, mounted for rocking motion on said base, carries a contact terminal 81 that normally is held spaced from terminal 78 by a toggle spring 82. As shown, one end of spring 82 is secured to the switch blade 79 and its other end is secured to the tail portion 83 of actuating arm 76. As is well understood, when the actuating arm is moved by reason of rotational movement of shaft 74 from its full line position shown in FIG. 10 into the dotted line position there illustrated, the switch arm 79 is snapped into the dotted line position shown so as to bring the terminals 78-81 into contact one with the other. Such action is obtained when the trigger latch 64 is actuated to release bolt 59 whereupon the forward end of the bolt strikes disc shoulder 71 with sufficient impact to cause said disc and its shaft 74 to rotate a distance necessary to rock actuating arm 76 and operate the toggle switch to close the gap between the switch terminals. As soon as the momentum of the impact is overcome by spring 72, the disc and of course the actuating arm 76, return to normal, again opening the switch. This momentary closing of the gap between the switch terminals which are in the electric circuit to the rifle lamp 57, causes the lamp to be lighted momentarily whereupon its light beam is projected through the barrel and out of its open end. Should the rifle device be properly aimed at target element 49, the projected light beam excites the photoelectric cell 51 therein and actuates the visual and audible signals in the manner aforesaid.

A current source for lamp 57 may be provided in the form of dry cells enclosed within an enlargement 84 on the gun barrel, access thereto being through an opening 85 (FIG. 12) that normally is closed by a cover plate 86 (FIG. 7).

As many possible embodiments may be made in the invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all-matters hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be securedby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A toy gun including a casing having a barrel open at one end, an electric lamp in said barrel, a collector lens in said barrel between the lamp and the open barrel end, a battery casing integral with said barrel adapted to contain a dry cell battery, an electric circuit connecting said battery and said lamp, a normally open toggle switch mounted in the casing and connected in said circuit, an oscillatably rotatable cam element in said casing, means operably connecting the cam element to said toggle switch, a reciprocable bolt element in said casing, a manually actuable trigger in said casing engageable by said bolt element to normally hold the bolt element in a retracted position spaced from the oscillatably rotatable cam element, spring means operable when the bolt element is disengaged from the trigger upon manipulation of said trigger to cause the bolt element to strike the cam element and rotate said cam element in a direction to actuate the switch to light the lamp, and spring means to return the cam element to its initial position to allow said switch to open.

2. A toy gun including a casing having a barrel open at one end, an electric lamp in said barrel, a battery housing integral with said casing adapted to contain a dry cell battery, an electric circuit connecting said battery and said lamp, a normally open toggle switch in said circuit, an oscillatably rotatable cam element in said casing, means operably connecting the cam element to said toggle switch, a reciprocable bolt element in said casing, manually actuable trigger means on said casing engageable by said bolt element to normally hold the bolt element in a retracted position spaced from the oscillatably rotatable cam element, spring means operable when the bolt element is disengaged from the trigger means upon manipulation of said trigger means to cause 2,181,948 12/39 McClellan 273-1011 the bolt element to strike the cam element and rotate 2,188,292 1/40 Hall et a1. 273-105.2 said cam element in a direction to actuate the switch 2,294,558 9/42 Hooker t 1, 240 -6.41 to light the lamp, and spring means to return the cam 2,562,64 7/51 Sparrow 273 101,1 element to its initial position to allow said switch to 5 2,734 311 2 55 h i h 4 22g P 2,894,117 7/59 Koskey 2406.41

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

2,007,082 7/35 Griffith 240--6.41 10 DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner. 

2. A TOY GUN INCLUDING A CASING HAVING A BARREL OPEN AT ONE END, AN ELECTRIC LAMP IN SAID BARREL, A BATTERY HOUSING INTEGRAL WITH SAID CASING ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A DRY CELL BATTERY, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONNECTING SAID BATTERY AND SAID LAMP, A NORMALLY OPEN TOGGLE SWITCH IN SAID CIRCUIT, AN OSCILLATABLY ROTATABLE CAM ELEMENT IN SAID CASING, MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTING THE CAM ELEMENT TO SAID TOGGLE SWITCH, A RECIPROCABLE BOLT ELEMENT IN SAID CASING, MANUALLY ACTUABLE TRIGGER MEANS ON SAID CASING ENGAGEABLE BY SAID BOLT ELEMENT TO NORMALLY HOLD THE BOLT ELEMENT IN A RETRACTED POSITION SPACED FROM THE OSCILLATABLY ROTATABLE CAM ELEMENT, SPRING MEANS OPERABLE WHEN THE BOLT ELEMENT IS DISAENGAGED FROM THE TRIGGER MEANS UPON MANIPULATION OF SAID TRIGGER MEANS TO CAUSE THE BOLT ELEMENT TO STRIKE THE CAM ELEMENT AND ROTATE SAID CAM ELEMENT IN A DIRECTION TO ACTUATE THE SWITCH TO LIGHT THE LAMP, AND SPRING MEANS TO RETURN THE CAM ELEMENT TO ITS INITIAL POSITION TO ALLOW SAID SWITCH TO OPEN. 